Bottle opener



1943- H. A. WHITE BOTTLE OPENER Filed Feb. 13, 1946 lhl/enfor A ttorne Patented Aug. 17, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE OPENER. Hal-01a Albert White, Aylmer, Ontario, Canada Application February 13, 1946, Serial No. 647,234

Claims.

1 This invention relates to a bottle opener and is particularly directed to provide a device which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is neat, compact and attractive in design, and which is strong and durable in use.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a bottle opener of compact, neat and attractive design which can be carried as a personal gadget.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle opener in which the parts for engaging the bottle cap are normally concealed and are brought easily and automatically into operative position with a snap action on release of an exposed release member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle opener having a novel assembly of elements which can be manufactured inexpensively and which are strong and durable in use.

The bottle cap remover of the present invention comprises a casing having an open end, an internal stop member adjacent to the open end of the casing, a plunger mounted for limited movement into and out of the casing, the plunger having a longitudinally arranged channel, an arm pivotally secured at one of its ends within the channel and intermediate the ends of the plunger and adapted to lie partially enclosed Within the channel when in retracted position, releasable means on the arm co-operating with the stop member for retaining the plunger in its retracted position, and means on the plunger co-operating with the stop member for limiting the movement of the plunger in its extended position, spring means for urging said plunger to its extended position, with the arm located beyond the openend of the casing on release of the means for retaining the plunger in its retracted position, means for urging the arm to a position at an angle to the plunger when in extended position, with an intermediate portion of the arm abutting the open end of the casing,

and a bottle cap engaging element formed in the arm.

An understanding of the manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are attained may be had from the following description, reference. being made to the accompan ing drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional elevation of the bottle opener showing the plunger and arm in retracted position in the casing;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation showing the plunger and arm in extended position with the arm positioned at approximately right angles to the plunger and supported on the end of-the casing; and

Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective showing the elements of the bottle opener disassembled. r r

The bottle opener of the present invention comprises, in general, a casing l0 having an open end, a plunger I5, an arm l9 carried by the plunger, a spring 21, a rack or ratchet 24, and an end closure member 14.

The casing Ill is preferably of tubular shape with at least one open end. It may be formed of metal or other suitable strong and rigid material and, if desired, may be provided with an outer shell H of plastic or other material of attractive design. One end of the casing is internally threaded fora short distance oiits length, as indicated by the numeral l2, for securing there to a closure cap M which is formed with an externally threaded shank. A stop member in the form of an internal abutment l3, such as an inwardly extending annular rim, is formed adjacent to the open end of the casing remote from the threaded end. V

The plunger I5 is formed with a hollow base It adapted to fit snugly within the wall of the casing and an elongated portion l! of less diameter than the base and of a length sufiicient to extend slightly above the open end of the casing when in retracted position. The plunger 7 is formed with a channel l8 which extends longitudinally thereof,

An arm I9 is pivotallysecured, such as by a pin 22, to the elongated portion of the plunger in such a position that when the plunger is in retracted position, the arm seats in the-channel with its exposed, edge lying substantially'flush with the periphery of the plunger. The exposed edge of the arm is formed with a notch providing a shoulder 20 adjacent to its outward end and the arm is spring tensioned to hold the shoulder in engagement with the abutment 13 when the plunger'is in retracted position. The other edge of the arm is formed with a hook-shaped notch 2| ofla design such as to engage firmly against the rim of a bottle cap. The inward end of the arm is a sector formed with teeth 23 adapted to mesh with the teeth 25 of a rack or ratchet 24 slidably mounted in the channel iii. The rack 24 is formed with an L-shaped base 25 which extends into the'hollow base of the plungeni- A spring 21 is nested in the casing between the cap Hi and the base 26 of the rack 24 in such a position that upon release of the shoulder-20 from its engagement with the abutment l3, the spring urges the plunger outwardly by its action against the base of the rack member, and

at the same time the rack member moves the arm to a position at substantially right angles to the plunger, in which position the edge of the arm is rigidly supported on the'end of the casing, leaving the hook-shaped notch in position for engagement with a bottle cap.. When'the'hook is in engagement with the edge of a bottle cap, the casing and plunger serve, in effect, as a lever with'the extended portion of the plunger acting as a fulcrum against the top of the'bottle cap.

The bottle opener of the present invention has several important advantages. It is easily and inexpensively manufactured. In use, it is strong and durable, the elements co-operating in such a manner that the arm is rigidly supported on the end of the casing during the interval pressure is being applied against a bottle cap. in which position the plunger is held firmly against retraction by the pressure applied to the bottle cap. When not in use, the arm is pivoted into alignment with the plunger and the plunger is retracted into the casing, the movements reducing the overall dimensions of the device. The plunger is held securely in its retracted position and in this position, the device may be carried as a personal adget. If desired, a ring 28 may b inserted in the cap [3 for attaching the device to a key chain.

It will be understood, of course, that modifications may he made in the preferred embodiment of the invention described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bottle'cap remover comprising a casing having an open end, an internal stop member adjacent to the open end of the casing, a plunger mounted for limited movement into and out of the casing, said plunger having a longitudinally arranged channel, an arm pivotally secured at one of its ends within the channel and intermediate the ends of the plunger and adapted to lie partially enclosed within the channel when in retracted position, releasable means on the arm co-operating with the stop member for retaining the plunger in its retracted position and means on the plunger co-operating with the stop member for limiting the movement of the plunger in its extended position, spring means for urging the plunger to its extended position, with the arm located beyond the open end of the casing on release of the means for retaining the plunger in its retracted position, means for urging the arm to a position at an angle to the plunger when in an extended position, with an intermediate portion of the arm abutting the open end of the casing, and a bottle cap engaging element formed in the arm.

2. A bottle cap remover comprising a casing having an open end, an internal stop member adjacent to the open end of the casing, a plunger mounted for limited movement into and out of the casing, said plunger having a longitudinally arranged channel, an arm pivotally secured at one'of its ends within the channel and adapted to lie partially enclosed within the channel when in retracted position, releasable means on the arm co-operating with the stop member for retaining the plunger in its retracted position and means on said plunger co-operating with said stop member for limiting the movement of the plunger in its extended position, spring means for urging said plunger to its extended position on the release of said releasable means, means actuated by said spring means for positioning the arm at an angle to the plunger when in an extended position with an intermediate portion of the arm abutting the open end of the casing, and a bottle cap'engaging element formed in said arm.

3. A bottle cap remover comprising a casing having an open end, an internal abutment adjacent' to the open end of the casing, a plunger mounted for limited movement into and out of said casing, said plunger having a longitudinally arranged channel, an arm pivotally secured at one of its ends Within the channel and intermediate the ends of the plunger and adapted to lie partially enclosed within the channel when in retracted position, releasable means on the arm co-cperating with said abutment for retaining the plunger in its retracted position, the inward end of said plunger being enlarged for engagement with said abutment to limit the movement of the plunger in its extended position, spring means for urging the plunger to its extended position, with the arm located beyond the open end of the casing on release of the means for retaining the plunger in its retracted position, means for urging the arm to a position at an angl to the plunger when in an extended position with an intermediate portion of the arm abutting the open end of the casing, and a bottle cap engaging element formed in the arm.

4. A bottle cap remover comprising a casing having an open end, an internal stop member adjacent to the open end of the casing, a plunger mounted for limited movement into and out of the casing, said plunger having a longitudinally arranged channel, an arm pivotally secured at one of its ends within the channel and intermediate the ends of the plunger and adapted to lie partially enclosed within the channel when in retracted position, a rack slidably mounted in said channel, the secured end of said arm being in the form of a sector having gear teeth adapted to mesh with said rack, releasable means on the arm cooperating with said stop member for retaining the plunger in its retracted position and means on the plunger co-operating with said stop member for limiting the movement of the plunger in its extended position, spring means for urging said plunger to its extended position with the arm located beyond the open end of the casing on release of the means for retaining the plunger in its retracted position, said spring acting on said rack to urge said arm to a position at an angle to the plunger with an intermediate portion of the arm abutting the open end of the casing, and a bottle cap engaging element formed in the arm.

5. In a bottle cap remover, the combination of a casing having an open end, an internal stop member adjacent to the open end of the casing, a spring urged plunger having means adapted to engage said stop member and mounted for limited movement into and out of said casing, said plunger having a longitudinally arranged channel and arm pivotally secured at one of its ends within the channel and adapted to lie partially enclosed Within the channel When in retracted position, releasable means carried by said arm adapted to engage said stop member to retain said plunger and arm in their retracted positions, and means for urging said arm to a position at an angle to the plunger when in an extended position With an intermediate portion of the arm abutting the open end of the casing, and a bottle cap engaging element formed in said arm.

HAROLD ALBERT WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following refer nces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57,902 I-Iibbard Sept. 1],, 1866 825,929 Nobis July 17, 1906 

